Director of Operations - Cheat Sheet
Cheat Sheet
- To effectively do this job you must first form a relationship with all of the major players, the senior staff and the junior staff members. Work alongside them and explain your position and your responsibilities. Foster your relationship with the top three (General Manager, Cook & Service Operator). Do not attempt to hold them accountable until you've worked beside them and had a conversation about each of your roles and duties. It is important that they understand that you are both on the same team and that your primary job is to help them achieve 100% success in their roles. Make sure to tell them that ultimately your role can be one of all positive communication. Every time they hear from you it can be to tell them what a great and thorough job they are doing. Or it can be one of constant nudges when they are behind the curve. You prefer to cheer success. Success begins by a thorough understanding of expectations, which is why you must attend all round-table meetings and make sure that all senior staff members have crystal clarity on our expectations. When you come across non-compliance, work through the GM and the Cook & Service Operators to correct those issues. You nudge them, and they fix operational problems. Do not get in the habit of going around them, even if it seems expedient.
- Always be exceptionally positive and encouraging, even if they are dropping the ball. We are never upset if they cannot do the job, however, we will evaluate performance, and if they can't get the tasks done, we must put someone in that place who can. They will succeed or fail on their own merit, we are merely the score-keepers and their cheerleaders. We are an all-carrot organization, no stick. However, we are merit based, and only the players who produce get to play. If you cannot or do not produce, we have to bench you and give someone with more enthusiasm a chance. That being said, we are always, always rooting for success.
- Review individual aspects of Store Review with operators, assistants, and shift leads as the week progresses to guide them to 100% compliance and completion.
- Send daily reminders to Shift Leads to be labor conscious.
- Maintain Google Docs for daily accuracy.
- Send out daily updates: Yesterday’s sales & labor (& truck as needed) with guidance.
- Each Monday, along with the daily update, send out a weekly update (sales, food, labor and guidance).
- Send messages with Truck targets on order day.
- Make sure all food orders are submitted by 10am and at truck targets.
- Make sure that food cost in each location is at target (35%)
- Make sure all schedules and DOOs are submitted and complete for your review by Tuesday at 5pm.
- Review all schedules on Wednesday mornings and make sure they are accurate and lean (18%) and ready for review by 10am.
- Work day-shifts and night-shifts in each store alongside GM, AO, and SL’s to view their performance.
- Review SL reports and comment to operators as needed; make sure they are following the correct format.
- Review all workplace posts to make sure that operators are liking and commenting. If they are not, nudge them until they do. (Make sure they are aware that this is part of their duties)
- Sit in on round-table meetings and make sure they are following the correct format.
- You are accountable to the CEO